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Hobby shops in the Columbus area


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I'm recreating this thread after the db crash.

This thread is to list and discuss Columbus-area hobby shops. Even though the Nats itself becomes the country's largest hobby shop for the weekend, real enthusiasts still make the rounds to local shops.

I visted a few shops during my visit to Blizzardcon a couple of weeks ago. The best shop seems to be Hobbyland, which has three locations:

206 Graceland Blvd., Columbus, OH 43214

6650 Sawmill Rd., Columbus, OH 43235

6919 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43213

The best of the three is the Graceland store. They have a great selection of kits, including many new releases. They also have a good assortment of aftermarket (PE, decals, resin) and books. Dig around, you never know what you're going to find.

The Sawmill store is good, with a decent variety of kits but little in the way of aftermarket or books.

The Broad St. store I'm told has mostly model railroading supplies.

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I'm recreating this thread after the db crash.

This thread is to list and discuss Columbus-area hobby shops. Even though the Nats itself becomes the country's largest hobby shop for the weekend, real enthusiasts still make the rounds to local shops.

I visted a few shops during my visit to Blizzardcon a couple of weeks ago. The best shop seems to be Hobbyland, which has three locations:

206 Graceland Blvd., Columbus, OH 43214

6650 Sawmill Rd., Columbus, OH 43235

6919 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43213

The best of the three is the Graceland store. They have a great selection of kits, including many new releases. They also have a good assortment of aftermarket (PE, decals, resin) and books. Dig around, you never know what you're going to find.

The Sawmill store is good, with a decent variety of kits but little in the way of aftermarket or books.

The Broad St. store I'm told has mostly model railroading supplies.

You have it pretty much pegged correct. Graceland is the best. Funny thing is, I believe the stores feature what thye do based on the employees in that store. Mike and the other guys talk models when you are in the Graceland store. Broad street, the talk is mostly trains. And Sawmill is the R/C fans hangout. Good selection of ships though as Sean Hert works at that shop. Sean is an editor with Modelwarships.com, so he kinda caters to the ship guys.

Now, as I posted before the crash, There are 2 good shops if one wants to travel about 45 minutes. Lancaster has Smokestack and Slaters. Both stores have a great selection of older kits and some really good prices as well. You don't find many stores where some of the kits are so old you have to blow off the dust to see the price tags. It was rumored that the owner of Smokestack was going to give 15% off model kits to anyone who can show they are visiting his shop from the Nats. Not too bad considering he is already about 15% below retail on most things now. With the prices I have seen lately at the shows I have been to, he may be the best deal going that week.

Hey, you also have the Hobby Lobby and maybe a 40% off coupon.

Regardless of where you go when you get here, there will be plenty of vendors who will gladly take some of your money.

Jeff

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I'd have to disagree about Smokestack. His selection is by far the best anywhere in Central Ohio, the drawback is that it is at full retail or higher on his prices. 15% is OK but not from full retail.

Many of times I've walked in there saying to myself I'll take that that and that, but then I get hit with the sticker shock knowing full well I can get the same kit online or elsewhere cheaper.

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Ten years ago I would visit Slaters every time we came from Virginia to Ohio to visit my parents. They had a knowledgable person working their hobby area, and they had a nice selection of aftermarket and kits. They are now a shell of their former self. Any aftermarket they have is there because either its hidden under or behind something, its overpriced, or its old and obsolete. Their kit selection rarely changes, and I was told their hobby person isn't allowed to order anything unless its approved by the owners first, and if its a special order for someone, pay up front is required. They do have kits with an amazing amount of dust on them, probably because they still have the full retail prices of when they were first stocked a decade or more ago. I wouldn't buy paint there, most of it has been sitting a LONG time and is likely no good. THey do have some reading material, but again, its a shell of what it used to be, and many of the books they have are leftovers from years ago. It was depresssing when I informed the guy that handles the hobby area that it appeared that they were out of liquid glue. He basically shrugged his shoulders and said if its not there on the shelf, they must be out, and he would have to order some. The next couple of times I was there I looked, and you guessed it, still no glue. Now I get it at HobbyLobby which is 2 minutes up the road. I do stop in there from time to time, but rarely, unless is sheet styrene and rod for scratch building, do I walk out with anything. 6-7 years ago, I would never leave without something in hand.

SmokeStack defintiely does not sell for 15 percent under retail on new kits. They do have some older stuff on the shelves, which are fun to browse through since everything is just thrown up there in stacks. No aftermarket to speak of, some supplies, and some old decals. You might find a deal stuck in there. One time they had 3-4 Hasegawa 1/48th F-15's, and each had a different price. The one I picked up had been a trade in, and came with a set of extra decals, for about $20. But the new kits are at least full retail. Anyone that wants a Trumpeter 1/35th Challenger II tank kit for $40 can get it there, or get it online for $15. They do usually have one copy of many of the newer kits, but even with postage these days, you can come out well ahead mail ordering it. I do just like to browse their stacks, but as Jholt said, sticker shock does take away a lot of the enjoyment. I wouldn't drive down from Columbus for either place, since the vendor room at the NAts is likely to have everything one could hope for. I might even drive up to take a look around.

Edited by JasonB
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I guess its all in what you are looking for. Or how much you are willing to hunt. I have found some great deals just looking over every kit in the store. The hasegawa f-15 mentioned above for instance. I picked up one for 14.95. Not bad for a 1/48 Hase. kit. Prices are prices, and poll 25 people here in central ohio and half will tell you Hobbyland is over priced. Poll half the guys on this site who went to the Columbus show last month and they will tell you 90% of the venders were over priced. My basis for saying smokestack is below retail is easy. The F-22 Raptor by Acad. is priced out at 69.00. Smokestack had it for 59.00. 10.00 is 10.00. Graceland Hobbyland sells it for over 60.00. Guess its all in what you feel is fair.

I feel if we are going to waste someones time by sending them across town to either Sawmill or Broad Street Hobbylands, why not give them the option of going somewhere they may actually find that old kit they won't find from someone at Nats. If they know they are there, they can inquire more about them if they choose.

Plus, I am sorry but it would be hard for anyone in the Columbus club to give a fair assesment here as it would be to their best interest to keep people and their money at Nats and not have them wander off.

Jeff

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Plus, I am sorry but it would be hard for anyone in the Columbus club to give a fair assesment here as it would be to their best interest to keep people and their money at Nats and not have them wander off.

Jeff

And an opinion from Zanesville is any better?

The vendor room is sold out so I honestly could care less where people spend their money. We don't make any money off of the vendor's sales so that argument is moot. It's up to the vendors now if they want people to shop them or not.

As far as I am concerned it's up to the individual if they so choose to 'wander off' to Lancaster or the other local shops. If someone asks me about where are the shops, I'll be more than pleased to tell them where they are. I'll also tell them if they are worth going to in my opinion.

Jason

Edited by jholt
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I'm not from Columbus either. I hail from the land that no one dare venture to, I.E. southeastern Ohio, so money spending in Columbus really isn't an issue with me. I like looking at the stuff at Smokestack, but can't afford most of it. It is fun to look for that easter egg deal, but its becoming more an more of a rarity. Slaters is just a waste of time anymore IMHO.

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For the benefit of all, I am not going to turn this into an argument over what hobby shop is the best. I know "some people" may like the smokestack style of shopping compared to the neat and tidy shelves of Hobbyland. The real hidden deals at smokestack are in the backroom. Get there when they pull out stuff to fill the shelves and you could really find a few deals.

Hey prices are going to be high anywhere you look. Just the nature of the economy we live in. I will be interested in seeing the prices and any markups at Nats this year.

Hey Jason B.

Is there really a place in Ohio thats worse than others. Please tell me where that is. SE Ohio is a large area.

Jeff

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For the benefit of all, I am not going to turn this into an argument over what hobby shop is the best. I know "some people" may like the smokestack style of shopping compared to the neat and tidy shelves of Hobbyland. The real hidden deals at smokestack are in the backroom. Get there when they pull out stuff to fill the shelves and you could really find a few deals.

Hey prices are going to be high anywhere you look. Just the nature of the economy we live in. I will be interested in seeing the prices and any markups at Nats this year.

Hey Jason B.

Is there really a place in Ohio thats worse than others. Please tell me where that is. SE Ohio is a large area.

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Basically if you draw a line following 23 north-south from Portsmouth through Chillicothe and Circleville, then follow I-70 east, everything below and to the right is the general area in question. Lancaster is the last bastion of 'non-Appalachia' when going southeast out of Columbus. When you look at a map of Ohio, you will notice that there is nothing down in the lower right corner except green. On Satellite maps taken at night, its a dark zone. Used to be the same way for cell coverage, though thats apparently improving. If you imagine your worst generalizations about rednecks , you will find them here, I kid you not. Riding 4 wheelers and shooting guns, collecting the government handout via welfare or SSI, growing and using drugs on a daily basis, alcoholic felons, pregnant teenage daughters smoking cancer sticks, and mangy dogs. And thats right next door at my neighbors shack...

JUst as an example, heres the public jail record of my neighbor. Looks like he had a recent visit that I wasn't aware of. Considering that part of his probation is that he not drink alcohol, he could be picked up every day of the week.

http://xw.textdata.com:81/cgi/progcgi.exe?...rj?recid=463030

I know its hard for many people to believe, because not many of them have ever experienced or seen it for themslves. Perhaps I could run a bus tour from the Nats.

BTW, thanks for the heads up about the back room at smokestack, I will have to see if I can get access the next time I am there.

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Clearly, the vendors room at any Nats is the de facto largest hobby shop in the country for the weekend, and there's little practical reason to go "off campus" to buy anything. That said, when time allows I really enjoy visiting hobby shops around the country just to see what they're like...even the bad ones. It's always fun, especially if you're with friends.

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